Method of placing a tire in and removing same from a mold



May 26, 1953 Filed April 21, 1952 A l E. A. GLYNN METHOD OF' PLACING A TIRE IN AND REMOVING SAME FROM A MOLD 2 Sheets-Sheet l HTTYS E. A. GLYNN May 26, 1953 2,639,466

. METHOD OE PLACING A TIRE IN AND REMOVING SAME FROM A MOLD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2l 1952 INVENTOR Edwin H. Glynn BY- MZ; mailt HTTYS Patented May 26, 1953 METHOD OF PLACING A TIRE IN AND REMOVING SAME FROM A MOLD Edwin A. Glynn, Lodi, Calif., assigner to Super Mold Corporation of California, Lodi, Calif., a corporation of California Application April 21, 1952, Serial No. 283,416

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the tire treading or retreading industry, and particularly to a method of placing a tire to be treaded into a vulcanizing mold lof the proper size for efficiently operating on such tire, and subsequently removing the vulcanized tire from the mold.

With respect to the very large sized multipleply tires used on tractors and other heavy equipment, it has been found that such tires are so stiff and inflexible that if handled in the conventional manner, itis next to impossible to get them into the mold without scufiing or distorting the fresh soft rubber of the Camelback. Even more of a problem has been the removal of the vulcanized tire from the mold, since the rigidity or non-flexibility of the tire, coupled with the interlocking of the tread-groove ribs in the matrix with the new tread, makes it almost impossible to pull the tire out of the mold without ruining such tread.

It is therefore the major object of this invention to provide a method of tire mounting and manipulation which will enable the diameter of a tire to be temporarily reduced so that the tire may be readily inserted into a rigid continuous-matrix mold, then caused to properly and closely fit the mold for the necessary tread-molding and vulcanizing action, and then be again reduced in diametral size while still confined in the mold so as to disengage the tread from the matrix, in order that the tire may be removed without possible damage to the tread and without the use of excessive force.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a tire manipulating method which may be carried out without any change in the mold itself being necessary, and requires only a special but relatively simple bead-flange drum unit to be used.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable method of placing a tire in and removing same from a mold, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished in the manner 2 fully closed and locked about the tire after deflation of the latter.

Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the matrix, after vulcanizing `of the tire, and after being unlocked, as being opened by reinflation of the tire.

The method is carried out in connection with a standard mold which includes fixed and removable annular matrix halves I and 2 respectively. These halves or sections are heated by suitable means, and are adapted when closed on each other to properly engage the tire 3 to be treaded.

Special equipment employed comprises a drum 4 `on which opposed flange-rings 5 are slidable, said rings being arranged to seat the beads 6 of the tire. The axial extent of the drum is suficient to allow of considerable separation of the rings 5, or to a much -greater extent than is needed to locate the rings in position for the deflated condition of the tire. At its upper end, the drum is provided with a fixed outwardly projecting stop flange 'I' which prevents removal of the rings 5 from this end, while retractible stops 8 project from adjacent the lower end of the drum to normally prevent removal of the adjacent ring 5 from said end. This specific drum and ring unit is shown and described in my copending application for United States patent Serial No. 282,419 filed April 15, 1952.

In carrying out the method, the tire 3' to be treaded is provided with the new Camelback 9 for the tread, and is placed in an uninflated condition on the rings 5 supported by drum 4, an inflatable tube I0 being first placed within the tire as shown in Fig. l. In this condition the tire diameter is frequently too great to readily t into the mold matrix.

The tire is therefore inflated, through the medium of tube I0, and since the bead rings 5 are not connected and are free to separate along the drum, the air pressure in tube ID causes the beads 6 to s0 separate. The extent of separation is limited by engagement of the rings 5 with th-e stop flange 'I and the stops 8. This increases the width of the tire, but at the same time causes the diameter thereof to be reduced, deforming the tire, so that it may be placed into the matrix section I without contact with the tread engaging face I I thereof, as shown in Fig. 2.

After the tire is thus lowered into the matrix section I so that the tire at its lower side rests on the matrix, the upper matrix section 2 is lowered into place over the tire, said section being there temporarily supported, clear of the lower section I, by the upper side of the inated tire. No trouble is, of course, encountered in thus placing section 2 to'be readily moved intoclosing engage=` The presv inent with theflower matrix sectiony I. sure of matrix section 2 against the tire as said section is thus moved, causes the sides of the tire, and the tire beads and rings 5, to be shifted toward each other, increasing thediameterbf` the tire or restoring the same substantially toY normal.

The matrix sections afterrbeing: thusrbroughtzy together, are locked against separation as usual.

The tire is then reinated, andsince the lbeads .v cannot now separate because of the confining a-ction of the adjacent portions of the sidewalls-of the tire, the Camelback S is pushed radially out and `into pJessingl engagement with .thevtread er1-...- gaging surface ll of the matrix. Atthe same time, of course, the tread-designforming ribs I2 .of the matrix are pressed into the .sotf un. vulcanized Camelback. rubber 9, as. shown in Fig..3.

In connection with the vulcanr'ing of thetread rubber.\'vhich v.then follows,- it maybestated .that

the: mold is `preferably ,preheated so. as. to Ireduce.. the time required to bringthe moldtovulcaniz-r y ingtemperature afterthetireisin place, and yto cause the. camelbaclr to vbecome .somewhat work@ able...without surface .vulcanizationtakng.,lplace.

The-tireremainsin the mold .in the above indated vcondition for the.. necessary. vulcanizing.. period, afterwhich the tire is deilated. This .re moves the pressure on the matrix .sectionstenda ing to forcethenrapart and .enables thelocking or, hold-down mechanism .of :said sections to. be

readily actnatedto release the sections ,from each other. The, matrix. sections.. having., been unlocked so as `to allow them toseparatefrom each other, the tire. is ,again inflated.v This inflation. causes 4thetire sidewalls and -beads 6.. and the., rings, 5.to move apart on the drum 4, and .at the same` time pulls .thenow vulcanized treadr|3 radially inward, or mother words,.,decreasesits...

diameter, disengagin'g the matrixribs |2'from.. the grooves M made thereby in the-tire. tread |35.

The movingfapart action of the tire sidewalls also lifts, the. upper matrix section.2,..as shownrin..

Fig. 4. Y

the tire and drum unit has been vthen .lowered to theiioor or ground. thetire-is deflated, `stops.,8...

are.retracted,and the drum is -liftedout ofthe..

tire and rings 5;. saidrings and the. tube. lfbeingf subsequentlyy disengaged .from the tire; .which .is then .ready for use.

It. will .thus beA seen that ,a .tire fman ipulatingI method has .been providedby. means. of which...

any tire of a certainlnormatdiameter. andrea4 gardless of its size and-inherent.stinessorrelafftive. ,iniiexibility, may be easily placed .in .andrea moved from a moldvof *thev correct. size-for.. a.-..

tireY of such diameter.

From .theforegoing .description it will .be readi 1y seen that there has been produced such a method as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specication sets forth the present and preferred details of the invention, still in practice such deviations from such details may be resorted-into .as-do not form.l aideparture 'from the spiritzoftheinvention, asdened bythe appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the followingis claimed as new and useful, and upon which 'LettersJPatent are desired:

1; The-methbdof manipulating an initially deflated tirefor placement of the same into a vul- ;canizing'lmoldlhaving axially separable annular moldhalvesr-.whosef diameter is no greater than thatof the normaldiameter of the tire and one of which is initially clear of the other the method:.:.comprising the steps of axially separating the beads of the tire a predetermined distance so as to.defo1im.the-tireandf-reduce thel diameter of the. same .to a, sizel .-less4 than that of the matrix halves, moving .the tire .-axially. of, and intoI said. other matrix Vhalf insupported relation thereby whilemaintaining thezbeads-thus separated,-p lac ing said one matrix half onto4 the tirein supportl ed.relation therebywhile .still maintaining 'the tirefbeads separated, and then allowing the beads to move together; so fasi tofcause-the -tire :to revassume: its.. normal. diameten and .shape `in ittingf relation to theamatrixL halves.v and at: the same: time: allowing:=,the matrix halves.; to" come tov gether in closinggrelatiom;

2.:The-method-.o-f manipulating an initially decanizing mo1d having axially'.r separable-annularmoidhhalves whose diameter.l isgno. greater; than y. that'z-offthenorxnal diameter.l of `the tire 'and one:l otiwhichi isinitiaIlyclear of theeother; the'meth-vlod comprising the steps of mounting the-beads.

of. .theetire @forlimited slid-.tragA .movement .axially oiieach other, iniiatingthe-,tire to causethe beads@ toaseparate-so-asito fdeformntheetire :andnreduca the diameter ktora l:size:lessa-thanthat voff-ther- 1 matrixi fhalvesy; movingsstheI initiated :.tire Y axially:

into l said: other moldihalffin supported :relatiorb f thereby, placingfsaid.- one matrix-half! onto their inflated .tire in' ,supported relation f thereby; and. deiiatingfthef :tire :to-allow;V the, lsameffto; reassumee ita-.normal shape-andsA sizel. in riittingf, relation to..- they .matrix-:halves and. also; allowing: ,the matrix.- halves.. to come-.togethen in closing;relation:`

3. A method as in claim 2, followed'by-.theastepaof lockingff-1'0lie. matrix halves againstsepara-tion,

. and :then .reinlatingpthetire .topforcefrthef .same

into closefengagement -with fthe; wallspfzthe; moldev fo'r.avulcanizing,operation.ly

4.: A method .as-ini. claim 3,fcllcwed bythe=stepsf ofagain=v deflatingrtheftire; unlockingathe:matrix halves,. and then again..initiatingA ther-tire. tof 'causerseparation :of the beads andireduction'of fthe` tire; diameter, sowas-'to -move..the-tire tread-radially.; away from the tread;engaging surfacesroflthef matrix.. halves.- to permitaof; withdrawal f of said onel matrix .half fromY .theatire 'and' 'of the-:latter: from said other matrix half.

No. refe''rencesfcited:l v 

